starch

a white, tasteless, solid carbohydrate, (C 6 H 10 O 5) n , occurring in the form of minute granules in the seeds, tubers, and other parts of plants, and forming an important constituent of rice, corn, wheat, beans, potatoes, and many other vegetable foods.

2.

a commercial preparation of this substance used to stiffen textile fabrics in laundering.

1375-1425; (v.) late Middle Englishsterchen orig., to stiffen, Old Englishstercean to make stiff, strengthen, derivative of stearcstark; cognate with Germanstärken to strengthen; (noun) late Middle Englishstarch(e), sterche, derivative of the v.

starch

/stɑːtʃ/

noun

1.

a polysaccharide composed of glucose units that occurs widely in plant tissues in the form of storage granules, consisting of amylose and amylopectin related adjective amylaceous

2.

Also called amylum. a starch obtained from potatoes and some grain: it is fine white powder that forms a translucent viscous solution on boiling with water and is used to stiffen fabric and in many industrial processes

3.

any food containing a large amount of starch, such as rice and potatoes

4.

stiff or pompous formality of manner or conduct

verb

5.

(transitive) to stiffen with or soak in starch

adjective

6.

(of a person) formal; stiff

Derived Forms

starcher, nounstarchlike, adjective

Word Origin

Old English stercan (unattested except by the past participle sterced) to stiffen; related to Old Saxon sterkian, Old High German sterken to strengthen, Dutch sterken; see stark

A naturally abundant nutrient carbohydrate found chiefly in the seeds, fruits, tubers, roots, and stem pith of plants, and commonly prepared as a white, amorphous, tasteless powder used in powders, ointments, and pastes. Also called amylum.

A food having a high content of starch, such as rice, bread, and potatoes.

A carbohydrate that is the chief form of stored energy in plants, especially wheat, corn, rice, and potatoes. Starch is a mixture of two different polysaccharides built out of glucose units, and forms a white, tasteless powder when purified. It is an important source of nutrition and is also used to make adhesives, paper, and textiles.

Any of various substances, including natural starch, used to stiffen fabrics.